Improvement in devices for trimming leather



W, F. FOLEY.

Devices for Trimming Leather. No.145,937. PatehfedDec30J873.

minessay I f 7 In Vii/i192.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM E. FOLEY, OF ALBANY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO PETER n. OLUTE, or SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN DEVICES FOR TRIMMING LEATHER.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 145,937, dated December 30, 1873; application filed August 11, 1873.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM F. FOLEY, of the city and county of Albany, State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Device for Trimming the Edges of Leather being Stitched; and I do hereby declare that the following is a description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 represents a perspective view of the device, illustrating its application to a sewing-machine. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the invention, in which the cutter is shown raised. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the same, in which the cutter is represented as cutting. Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation through the cutter and throat-piece.

My invention relates to a device to be attached to a sewing-machine for trimming the edge of leather while being stitched; and consists of a cutting-tool pivoted to the rear side of the throat-piece, and working in a narrow slot made in the said throat-piece, at a little distance from the needle-hole, in a vibratory manner, so as to produce a shear form of out; also, in a slotted arm-piece attached-to the needle-bar, in which its slot will receive the upper end of the cutting-tool, to cause it to vibrate in the manner of a blade of a pair of shears; also, in the combination of an elastic foot with the slotted arm, which will be capable of throwing the waste back as the cutter separates it from the main body of the material being operated on.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe it in reference to the drawings and the letters of reference marked thereon, the same letters indicating like parts.

In the drawings, A represents the needlebar of a Howe, Singer, or other sewing-machine for sewing leather, which needle is operated in a vertical reciprocating manner by the usual mechanism employed. B is an arm secured to the said needle-bar at its lower end, as shown, and preferably by the screw a.

The said arm is provided in its extended end with the vertical and oblong slot 0, and is carried in a reciprocating manner vertically by the needle-bar. D is the throat-piece, pro vided with the usual needle-hole 6, made at a short distance from said needle hole, say about one-sixteenth of an inch, or other distance it is desired to trim from the stitching, the slot or deep recess 00, made across the throatpiece, commencing at the rear side, and terminating at a little distance from the front edge, as shown in Figs. 2, 3, and 4, with its depth at the rear about through to the lower side, as shown in Fig. 4. O is the cutting-tool, which is made in about the form shown in Fig. 4, and is provided with an eye, 2, to receive a pivot, y, which passes longitudinally into the rear side of the throat-piece, and through the eye 2 of the cutting-tool, so that the eye end of the said tool will work into the said slot .70, as shown. A portion of the said tool 0 is provided with a cutting-edge, s, extending from the said eye to about one-half an inch above. The upper end a of the said tool enters the slot 0 made in the arm B, secured to the needle-bar A, which arm, in rising, causes the front end wall of the slot 0 to strike the front side of the end u of the cutting-tool, to carry it upward, so that the said tool will stand nearly in a vertical position, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4; and when the said arm is carried down by the needle-bar, as shown by full lines in Fig. 3 and dotted lines in Fig. 4, the back end Wall of the slot 0 will strike on the rear edge of the cutter-tool, to crowd it forward and down with a vibrating movement from 1 to 2, as in Fig. 4, when the cuttingedge 8 will be made to act with the slot or recess so, made in the throat-piece, to cut the leather which may be between.

As the needle-bar is operated, and when thrown up, the cutter will stand in position of 1, Fig. 4, and when cast down it will stand in position of 2. At each interval between the return of the cutter from position 2 to 1, the material will be fed forward toward the cutting edge 8, to be acted upon by it in its throw down to position 2; and the length of each cut will be the same as the length of the stitch,

and the cut given will be substantially of the the Waste back at each drop of the said arm.

This device does not in the least affect the operation of a sewing-machine, and cuts a smooth edge to the leather.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a device for trimming leather while being stitched, the vibrating cutting-tool G, piv- V oted to the throat-piece, in combination with the slot or recess 00, receiving the edge of said tool, substantially as set forth.

2. The slotted arm B, attach ed to the needlebar, in combination with the Vibratin g cuttingtool G, pivoted to the throat-piece, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In combination with the armB, the elastic foot E, substantially-as shown and described, for the purpose set forth.

WILLIAM F. FOLEY.

Witnesses OHAs. J SELKIRK, WiLLIs G. NASH. 

